[Processing data… 40%] The automated voice reminded me again, but I had no time to check that out. All I cared about right now was to escape from this land or fight back with everything I had!
The ice spell that the kid conjured covered the land, killing off five of the ogres. I knew they died from the snow, since a gigantic block of ice formed around their bodies. Although the ogres could withstand the spell directly, those monsters were still vulnerable to surprise attacks.
And the magic spell that enveloped this terrain came out of nowhere. It also led to the massacre of the ogres. The area of effect caught all the ogres, including their leader, standing from afar.
However, the remaining three were quick to react, forcing themselves to shield their bodies from the attack. The chilling ability went through their skin, but the ogres shattered the ice within seconds after freezing. The leader was also alive, despite taking that vast spell straight in the face.
Uruk-hai was the boss of this part, so killing that monster would take more than a frosty dessert.
As I turned around to look at my saviour, Afenos collapsed while staring in front of me. But before the little kid could kiss the ground, he was fortunate enough to have the villagers beside him. Those townspeople caught Afenos' body and pulled him away from danger. They knew that was the last strength left from Afenos as all of them hurried back to safety.
Some villagers entered the battlefield, but they couldn't walk in my direction. The icy floor was enough to fend them away, together with the gawking eyes of the ogre at their location. These civilians immediately retreated and hid behind the lump of dirt, afraid of dying without a cause.
It was an admirable entrance, but marching forward would not result in anything besides their deaths. Despite their cowardice of not going for me, I was still thankful that they appeared before my last breath…
The warm sensation of someone cheering me on filled my heart while I stood strong in front of my enemy.
I returned my focus to the field and met the eyes of Uruk-hai leering at me. It differed from the stares that I experienced before. That monster had killing intentions oozing from its body.
If I had to guess, Uruk-hai must have been itching to kill me after seeing its pawns die in vain.
"Thank you, Afenos…," I whispered, while desperately forcing myself to stand up from the ground.
"Kill him…"
With that instruction, the three ogres charged straight at me with intense speed. Despite their sizable mass, the ogres breezed through the wind, crushing the icy floors.
Upon squinting my eyes, a powerful aura engulfed the three monsters. That magical enhancement came from Uruk-hai, who had cast it behind our backs.
It was a spell that heightened the muscles of any individual. I did not know the rest of the information of the spell, but I knew it was a formidable one that could bring me to death's door.
That hunch proved me right as the ogre slammed its hands against my blocking arm. My Clarent sword was the one that pulled that off, cutting the damage by the ogre. However, the speed of the monsters was far too incomparable to mine. Those ogres performed a blitz of attacks, making me fly towards the other side of the field.
The two creatures were already waiting for me at that end part of the land. They tossed my body around like a toy meant to break and fall. I tried wiggling out from my misery, but the humongous hand grabbing onto my leg never let me go.
After one final slap of the ogre, my body plummeted to the ground. And this time, I couldn't find any strength inside of me…
It was a miracle that I was still alive… but with the injuries I got from the monsters, all of my appendages became numb. It was just not my left arm, but my entire body…
"Get up…," I whispered. However, my voice croaked, begging for any rest that I could give.
Uruk-hai finally sauntered to me, with the rest of the ogre still charging up a blast. Six magic circles appeared at the hand of the ogres as they planned to turn everything into dust, including the village nearby. It was Uruk-hai's goal, leaving nothing but minced meat from this town.
But before those three bastards could even do anything to me, stones from a few feet away hit the ogre's head. Although the damage was minimal to the naked eye, it was enough to disrupt the ogre's focus.
"Leave Arthur alone!"
"Get away from the hero!"
"Stay away from Arthur!"
After a few seconds, dozens of magic projectiles came flying in the ogre's direction. But the tough skin of the ogres negated all damage from those spells as they crashed to their bodies. A cloud of black smoke came afterwards, but I knew that was not enough to stop the mad titans.
Cheers of various voices coming from the villagers roared behind me. As I raised my head by a few centimetres, the figure of a group surrounded the crater. Each of them, even the children, hurled out pebbles at the chanting ogres.
"This village is very admirable. You lots keep struggling all you want. But those puny magic spells will not do a thing to our impenetrable skin. Even your hero, Arthur, couldn't do anything to my pawns or me."
By the time that Uruk-hai gave his speech, that monster kicked me in the abdomen. The strength from that attack churned my entire body upside down. I could feel my organs splattering inside of me, with my bones breaking into pieces.
Uruk-hai flashed me a smirk as that monster did it again… and again… and again, waiting for me to break my conscience. I kept my eyes straight at the ogre's figure, but…
The more I struggled, my body continued asking for its last rest.
"This is the end of the line for you, Arthur. I commend you for wasting my time.. And becoming a hero. But like every epic, your story will be forgotten by many… especially when you're dead. Thank you for paving me the way to prove myself for the demon king, Arthur. I will remember your name."
"Fuck you!"
After our exchange, Uruk-hai raised its leg and attempted to stomp my crawling body. Everything around me became slow, like a snail, as if I could control time itself. But it was not like that. I knew that my character did not have any overpowering abilities like time manipulation.
'Ah… is this what those old people call life review?' I thought, and watched all my memories of the past.
Now that I thought about it, I did nothing with my life. I even abandoned this village when it needed me the most. My character was terribly underleveled to defeat any monsters before me. My sword was not a legendary one... not like the mythical Excalibur.
It was as the voice had told me… I was not a hero and will never become a hero in these two worlds…
However… that monster called me one. Was it because I rushed in front and hoped to save everyone? Even the voices behind me called me a hero… I did not know, since I never saved them…
I'm scared… frightened… All I wanted to do was to run away from this place. I wished for a blissful life where the people surrounding me would call me a hero.
My eyes became weary, and my hands touched the ground. Uruk-hai's foot drew closer near my face. It was the beginning of the end for me, and there was nothing I could do to stop my fate.
'I guess this is it… this is where I'd die…' I pondered, and sluggishly closed my eyes. 'I want to become a hero… I want to... become… a hero.'
No matter how hard I reached for the stars, humans couldn't fly. I always fall on the ground, failing every trial that I have encountered. Even in my past life or this new life, I was still a failure… A worthless man who wanted to become a hero.
"Even if you can't, try. Your body might feel afraid, so do it scared."
A voice from the past echoed through my mind before my eyelids could close off my vision. The figure of the last adventurer welcomed my ears as the quote repeated itself once again.
"Even if you feel afraid, do it scared…"
[Processing data… 99%] The automated voice reminded me again, with a percentage of numbers showing on the window. It was the last thing that I saw before touching the bottom of Uruk-hai…
But I was still alive.
"Do you wish to save them? Do you wish to put your life for the sake of others?" An enigmatic voice directed a question to me.
With the remaining stamina I had, I gave the mysterious voice a nod. "Yes… I will"
[Title confirmed: The Descendant's Hero]
[Clarent Unlocked-Legendary Sword of Peace]